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Members of the Waizu Club International and its sister organization, Waizu Club, gathered at Sumiyoshi Taisha shrine in Osaka, on June 14, to watch a renowned 1900-year Shinto ritual, “Otaue Shinji.” In the heat of mid-August, they enjoyed watching the three-hour ritual to pray for the harvest.

The ritual is said to have started in 211 when the shrine was established and is designated as an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan. WCI members first watched the ceremony taken place at Honden, main shrine building, and then moved to rice paddies to see local people dressed in traditional costumes planted rice seedlings, which are said to have handed down from the Gods.

Although the temperature in the city marked 34.1 C, the participants were impressed with historic rituals. One of the highlights was Yaotome, shrine maidens, performed dance on a stage especially erected in the center of rice paddies. One of the WCI members said, “It was so cute to see local children with traditional costumes performed dances. I could not stop smiling.” Another spectator was excited to see local performers who dressed in armor and carried out samurai rituals.

⇒「わいず会員とWCIメンバー８０人　大阪・住吉大社で御田植神事観覧」の記事はこちら